Béla Bartók (1881-1945) was a leading composer of the first half of the 20th century whose symphonic and chamber music is still widely performed. A convinced modernist, his musical inspiration nonetheless stems equally from the vanishing world of traditional Balkan folk music, which he was among the first to document for the wider world. In the five sessions of this course, we’ll explore his lyrical and original voice as expressed in works such as Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, his piano concertos and his six masterful string quartets. In addition, as Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra is to be performed by the Rogue Valley Symphony in October, we’ll devote particular attention to this piece, one of his best known and best liked works.
